The visitor visa, also called a tourist visa, is a type of non-immigrant visa for people who want to enter the United States temporarily. The categories, usa.gov indicates, are:

B-1 visa: business affairs and attending conferences.

B-2 visa: tourism, visiting relatives and obtaining medical treatment.

If your passport, the aforementioned website adds, “has expired but your US visa is still valid, you will need to travel with a new passport and the expired passport that contains your visa.”

Upon entry into the United States, the official who receives you at the port of entry will provide you with an electronic Form I-94 to record your dates of entry and departure.

Questions and answers about applying for a tourist visa

How do you apply for a tourist visa?

-To apply for a tourist or visitor visa, you must make an appointment at the nearest consulate (in English) and consult their website to review the steps to follow and the documentation required.

How much does it cost to apply for a tourist visa?

-B1 and B2 visa applicants must pay US$160 to complete this procedure.

So far, it is not known whether the cost of the process of obtaining a tourist visa will increase by 2024.

How much does the US tourist visa cost in 2024?

What documents do I need to complete the form?

Some of the documents you will need to provide include a valid passport, a qualifying photograph, and completing Form DS-160, which can be completed online.

What does the photo you want to present look like?

-The visa photo must be entered in the online application.

The photo should measure 2 inches square (approximately 50mm square), with the head in the center of the frame. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the end of the chin) should measure between 1 and 1 3/8″ (25 to 35 mm) with an eye height between 1 1/8 and 1 3/8″ (28 and 35mm) from the background of the photo.

For more information about this aspect you can read here

Read more about the requirements for digital images in this link and in this other link.

Is it necessary to complete the online application?

-Completing the DS-160 application takes approximately 90 minutes

What information must be entered on the DS-160 form?

-In this form you must fill in your personal details, travel route, family details, education and work.

Where can I find the DS-260 form?

-You can access the DS-260 through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website, by going to Immigrant Visas.state.gov and clicking on “File Visa Application and Civil Documents,” or on the website of the CEAC. the US where you will be applying, reads the website.

Where do I pay the consular fees for the visa application?

-Payment of the US$160 must be made once you complete the DS-160 form. I can do it online with a credit card or via bank transfer to authorized entities.

When do I have the interview at the consulate?

-To know this you must consult the calendar and select an available date. There is no set time, but the earliest dates could be many months after application completion.

The ‘trick question’ they asked a woman during the visa interview in the United States and how she answered it

If my visa is approved, when will I receive the document printed in my passport?

-If the visa is approved, it will be delivered by courier.

Can you enter the United States freely with the visa in hand?

-A visa does not guarantee entry to the United States. The visa allows an alien to travel to the United States port of entry, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security immigration inspector Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorizes or denies entry into the United States. It also states how long you can stay.

I have a non-immigrant visa that is expiring soon and I would like to renew it. Do I have to go through the entire visa application process again?

-Yes, every time you want to apply for a visa, you have to go through the entire visa application process, even if your visa is still valid. There are situations where it may not be necessary to interview a visa applicant when renewing their visa.

On usa.gov they emphasize: The process for renewing a tourist visa is the same as the one you use to obtain the visa for the first time, even if you currently have a valid visa that is about to expire.

With information from usa.gov and El Universo

(JO)